1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a safety binding for securing a ski boot onto a ski. More specifically, the invention relates to a binding adapted to retain one end of the boot in contact with the upper surface of the ski.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Bindings for retaining a portion of the boot against the upper surface of the ski, particularly of the rear binding type, are known in the art. Such bindings generally have a jaw adapted to retain one end of the boot, particularly the rear end.
The jaw is adapted for movement in a vertical plane defined by the length of the ski, and, conventionally, is itself journalled around a horizontal axis transverse to the length of the ski.
The jaw is carried by support means connected to the ski; elastic energization means elastically bias the jaw toward the upper surface of the ski.
Amongst safety bindings of this type, the invention relates more particularly to bindings connected to the ski by two lateral arms. These arms are journalled on a transverse axis mounted on the ski adjacent to the end of the boot adapted to be retained on the ski.
Known bindings of this type are disclosed in French Pat. No. 2,368,973, which is the equivalent of U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,332, French Pat. No. 2,299,883, which is the equivalent of U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,001, and French Pat. No. 2,502,019, which is the equivalent of West German Pat. No. 3,210,477, the disclosure of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference thereto.
Generally for such bindings, the lateral arms which connect the body to the ski are disposed around the exterior of the the boot sole; each arm is linked to the ski outside the sole's contour, at the level of the ear of a base plate; most often, the linkage is situated above the lower surface of the sole. Because they are situated on each side of the sole, the ears likewise allow the sole of the boot to be laterally wedged in place.
The principal disadvantage of such bindings is that the lateral arms, as well as the ears which bind these arms to the ski, laterally border both the contour of the sole, and the lateral edges of the ski. This consequence occurs because these bindings, in effect, are wider than the width of the ski, and wider than the width of the boot at the level of the sole. As a result, the projecting portions of these bindings can get caught on the snow and interfere with the movement of the ski in unexpected and undesireable ways.
Preferably, the lateral arms are elastically biased towards the ski to facilitate the insertion of the boot in the binding. Another disadvantage of bindings of this type presently known in the art is that they require auxiliary springs to perform this function. Such springs thus complicate the assembly of the binding, and likewise increase its cost.
One of the purposes of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages, and provide a binding, of the above-indicated type, wherein each element does not extend laterally beyond the exterior contour of the sole of the boot.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a binding wherein elastic biasing of the arms towards the ski is accomplished in a simple fashion, without requiring auxiliary springs.
The safety binding according to the invention comprises: a jaw which is adapted to retain one end of the boot, and is adapted to move in at least one direction along a vertical plane; a support for the jaw; two lateral arms connecting the jaw to the ski; an axis, on which the lateral arms are journalled, mounted perpendicular to the length of the ski, and situated adjacent to the boot end, under the sole; and elastic energization means for elastically biasing the jaw toward the ski.
The two lateral arms of the binding are transversely spaced by a distance which is less than the width of the sole at the boot end retained by the binding. Each arm is bent, and is provided with first and second segments. Each first segment is connected at one end to the journal axis. When the binding is disposed in the rest position, the first segment of each arm extends substantially parallel to the length of the ski under the level of the boot sole; the second segment is bent upwardly and oriented toward the jaw support.
The elastic energization means, preferably in the form of a spring, bias the binding, and, in particular, the lateral arms of the binding, towards the ski.
The binding illustrated in the various FIGS. is of the heel type, i.e., is adapted to retain the rear end, particularly the heel, of a boot. However, the invention is equally applicable to a binding adapted to retain the front end, particularly the toe, of a boot.
The invention is described with reference to the following drawings, which are provided by way of example, not limitation.